Ever seen Now and Then, Here and There? Really breaks down the monstrosities of war. Talks about child soldiers, rape, mistreatment, the mental torment of battle, etc.

I've never been entirely sure what to think of that series. It's so grim and ambiguous in its morality that I almost felt it was advocating the extermination of humanity, rather than exhorting us to do better.

Ever seen Now and Then, Here and There? Really breaks down the monstrosities of war. Talks about child soldiers, rape, mistreatment, the mental torment of battle, etc.

I've never been entirely sure what to think of that series. It's so grim and ambiguous in its morality that I almost felt it was advocating the extermination of humanity, rather than exhorting us to do better.

Heh, I like your point of view! Personally, I felt something along those lines as well, mixed with "war is not the solution/war is hell" sort of thing.

Gasaraki gets very deep in political issues, the only problem is it's so hard to get into. I recommend it though if you want one of the best realistic takes on mechs and political strife in anime along shows like Flag. Be warned, you'll probably fall asleep it's so bland and tasteless to get through. In the end it's worth it because the plot is so well put together despite its presentation.

The best thing to compare Gasaraki to would have to be a turkey. It is dense, meaty, and has good reason for you to bite into it. But it is so consuming and so stale that it is barely worth the effort.

The series' biggest draw, though, is the meticulous detail it puts into its animation and depiction of mecha activities. Few other mecha titles even come close to matching this series' degree of realism and technical detail in the preparations, piloting, and missions involved with mecha operation. Here mecha synchronize laser targeting with each other, employ flying drones for data collection and coordination, use built-in winches and hydraulic pistons to hoist themselves up buildings, get dropped from planes while sitting in protective sleds, and react with appropriate difficulty in environmental hazards like storm-blown sand. The boxy mecha fit their pilots very snugly into claustrophobic cockpits and rigorously follow the laws of physics in their movements. Support personnel guide pilots' actions down to the second and meter and adjust fine operational details from minute to minute. The attention to realism carries over into other aspects of the show, too, such as the nature of the media coverage, the fact that most of the mecha pilots are adults, and the sensible reactions by military units and security forces to threats.

If all of this sounds rather dull, it isn't. For all of the series' emphasis on minute detail, it also regularly delivers an amazing level of intensity.

Parts of two reviews that I thought would give a clearer picture on it. Here are the full reviews:

Imagine mixing "Death note" with "GTO: Great teacher Onizuka" with a allot of political issues & you'll have this Manga.

Its a bit violent but it portrays the DARK side of a Government in a very cool way. The main character stumbled upon a strange power and decided to change the corruption in Japan the only way he knows how.
BY KILLING ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE WHO CORRUPTED IT! >=D

Imagine mixing "Death note" with "GTO: Great teacher Onizuka" with a allot of political issues & you'll have this Manga.

Its a bit violent but it portrays the DARK side of a Government in a very cool way. The main character stumbled upon a strange power and decided to change the corruption in Japan the only way he knows how.
BY KILLING ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE WHO CORRUPTED IT! >=D

Imagine mixing "Death note" with "GTO: Great teacher Onizuka" with a allot of political issues & you'll have this Manga.

Its a bit violent but it portrays the DARK side of a Government in a very cool way. The main character stumbled upon a strange power and decided to change the corruption in Japan the only way he knows how.
BY KILLING ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE WHO CORRUPTED IT! >=D

Does he get away with it?

Who knows?

You're just gonna have to find out!

[I put a link to the Manga up above.]

We're talking about Anime, not Manga.

AHAHAHA! Oh wow...Pleas don't police me forums xD

I'm just trying to give him a good suggestion based off what he's looking for. At least partly.

Be a little loose with things Shrapnel! ~( T◡T)~

Still, if you insist.- I suggest watching "Library wars". Maybe even "Code geas" if he hasn't already seen it.

OH! And though its sorta "Anciant politics" I recommend watching "The Ambition of Oda Nobuna". They even have it here on Crunchyroll.

Imagine mixing "Death note" with "GTO: Great teacher Onizuka" with a allot of political issues & you'll have this Manga.

Its a bit violent but it portrays the DARK side of a Government in a very cool way. The main character stumbled upon a strange power and decided to change the corruption in Japan the only way he knows how.
BY KILLING ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE WHO CORRUPTED IT! >=D

Does he get away with it?

Who knows?

You're just gonna have to find out!

[I put a link to the Manga up above.]

We're talking about Anime, not Manga.

AHAHAHA! Oh wow...Pleas don't police me forums xD

I'm just trying to give him a good suggestion based off what he's looking for. At least partly.

Be a little loose with things Shrapnel! ~( T◡T)~

Still, if you insist.- I suggest watching "Library wars". Maybe even "Code geas" if he hasn't already seen it.

OH! And though its sorta "Anciant politics" I recommend watching "The Ambition of Oda Nobuna". They even have it here on Crunchyroll.

Valkyria Chronicles dealt with some political themes and intrigue, though much of the battle sequences illustrated just how incompetent the regular Gallian military was, at least when Squad 7 wasn't involved. Still a good series.

Martian Successor Nadesico had some deep political themes underlying its story (actually, political events which I won't spoil here, directly led to the conflict in the story) which is a bit surprising for a parody series.

Hell, even Ixion Saga DT has some politics and intrigue in play...who'd have guessed that, based on just the first few episodes? (Granted, that premise was laid out early on, but the recent episodes have been building upon it.)